ProgressOhio

COLUMBUS - Secretary of State and United States Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner today announced she raised in excess of $200,000 from nearly 500 contributors and has been endorsed by the Washington, DC-based Women's Campaign Forum.

The lion's share of Brunner's money comes from individual donors whose average contributions were approximately $375. This is important because, like President Obama's early primary donors, Brunner's first-quarter contributors can be expected to continue their support throughout the campaign.

"I'm pleased with the progress we've made quickly in these first weeks of the campaign. We've not only raised needed funds, but assembled an effective campaign team while reaching out to the grass roots of our party," Brunner said.

Brunner's announcement of continued grass-roots support comes as former Congressman and Bush Administration member Rob Portman announced he's amassed more than three million dollars for his campaign.

Because of the $1.7 million Portman carried over from his old congressional account, the Republican's money is significantly greater than that raised by both Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher and Jennifer Brunner combined.

"It's not surprising Portman raised considerable money. Special interests are slowly losing their grip on our nation with the election of President Obama," Brunner campaign manager David Dettman said. "It looks like the Old Guard will try to make a final stand in Ohio."

Brunner agrees, "The support I'm getting from everyday Ohioans and organizations dedicated to progress for working families will spell the long-term difference in this race," continued Brunner.

The Women's Campaign Forum is a national group dedicated to electing pro-choice women. WCF joins all of Ohio's United Food and Commercial Workers locals of more than 75,000 members, Caroline Kennedy, 21st Century Democrats, and others in endorsing Brunner early.

Brunner was elected twice as a judge, first defeating a governor's appointee in a largely conservative county. She prevailed statewide in a 4-way race for an open seat for Ohio Secretary of State by a 15-point margin over her Republican opponent from Hamilton County, winning even in his home county. After serving as Ohio's Secretary of State for just over a year, she was awarded the Profile in Courage Award by the bipartisan board of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation for fighting for needed election reforms related to voting machine reliability and security. The Profile in Courage Award is considered the nation's most prestigious honor for elected public servants.

Brunner is running in the May 2010 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate to replace retiring Senator George Voinovich. A recent Quinnipiac University press release on its March poll of the race called it "a wide-open affair."